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Nevada Becomes First State to Install Syringe Vending Machines

Updated 05.05.17 2:24PM ET / Published 04.14.17 7:05PM ET

Jacky Naegelen

There is a new plan in Las Vegas to install vending machines that would dispense clean needles in order to fight rising heroin and HIV rates in the state. The vending machines, a first in the United States, would be available to clients of Trac-B Exchange, a program run by the Las Vegas Hard Reduction Center. The machines will also not take money but rather drug users will scan a card and enter an ID number to access the clean needles. "This is a harm reduction approach," said Chelsi Cheatom, program manager for Trac-B Exchange, in an interview with NBC Las Vegas affiliate KSNV. "People are already exchanging in these behaviors, and anytime someone's engaging in a behavior that could cause them some potential health side effects, we want to encourage them to reduce their risk of harm."